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12
Western & English Today
SUMMER 2018
PHOTOGRAPHY:
(ALL
IMAGES)
COURTESY
VALENTINE
EQUINE
FASHION MEETS FUNCTION
VALENTINE
EQUINE
S
ecure your bridle and saddle up
for a voyage to Australia, where
showmanship does not stop at the
horse. Since the country's 1956 Summer
Olympics debut, Aussie riders have not only
perfected the movements of classical dressage;
they have shaped the future of riding apparel
as well.
As a competitive rider for 15 years, Melita
Harmer trusts attire that exhibits both
functionality and grace. Harmer is the owner
of Valentine Equine, which she calls the "fabric
fi nder to the mailman and everything in
between." Her designs nod to the quintessential
equine styles of the past while in pursuit of the
eco-friendly fashions of the future.
e fi rst inklings of Harmer's aff ection for
equine design surfaced during family holidays
in Asia, when she amassed new show outfi ts to
add to her versatile wardrobe. Following the
injury and subsequent retirement of Harmer's
dressage horse, she spent time in Bali,
Indonesia. It's there where Harmer put her
college minor in textiles and clothing to use,
collaborating with tailors to create designs that
would later be sold on Facebook.
An Australian brand
finds harmony between
cruelty-free textiles and
timeless design.
By Sarah E. Ashlock